Center will explore the relevance and benefits of oats through science, agricultural sustainability and innovation.

BakingBusiness.com,
8/8/2013

by Eric Schroeder

CHICAGO — Grain-based foods industry experts Julie Miller Jones and Len Marquart have been named to the scientific advisory board at the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence. Developed in 2012 by the Quaker Oats Co., a division of PepsiCo, Inc., the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence explores the relevance and benefits of oats through science, agricultural sustainability and innovation.

Quaker said the newly appointed advisory board members were selected due to their experience within their fields and will be called upon to share knowledge, information and insights based on their areas of expertise:

• Ms. Jones, Ph.D., C.N.S., L.N., is a professor emerita of nutrition in the Department of Family, Consumer and Nutritional Sciences at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn., and an adjunct professor in the Department of Food and Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. Her primary interests within nutrition science are carbohydrates, fiber and whole grains and food safety.

• Mr. Marquart, Ph.D., R.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. His current research focuses on consumer understanding and factors that influence whole grain consumption.

• Derek Stewart, Ph.D., is the leader of the Enhancing Crop Productivity and Utilisation Theme at The James Hutton Institute (JHI) in Scotland. His current research interests include plant and crop metabolism, elucidating the links between plant composition and human health, and studies into the organoleptic qualities (i.e., flavor, aroma, texture and visual appearance) that drive food consumption and food choice.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with this board of prominent experts as we explore all that the oat has to offer,” said Marianne O’Shea, Ph.D., director, Quaker Oats Center of Excellence. “These individuals, hailing from exceptional institutions locally and abroad, will help Quaker uphold its commitment to discovering new oat benefits and applications, and ultimately help people around the globe pursue a healthy lifestyle with innovative and delicious oat-based solutions.”

In addition to the advisory board, the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence launched a web page for health professionals and those who want to learn more about oat science on the Quaker Oats web site (www.quakeroats.com). Quaker said it hopes the resource will become a destination where health professionals can find the latest oat information available.

“As we lead oat research, we are eager to impart knowledge and new data with our health and nutrition communities through the new web page,” Ms. O’Shea said. “Content on the web site will be updated as the Center uncovers new information, and oat enthusiasts can visit to better understand how nourishing this grain can be for our health and the environment.”